Voodoo Six
Make Way for the King
(White Knuckle Records)

Voodoo Six’s fourth and latest studio album, Make Way For The King, boasts twelve brand new tracks and is the band’s first album to feature new vocalist, Nik Taylor-Stoakes. The rest of the band, guitarist Matt Pearce, bassist Tony Newton, and drummer Joe Lazarus, lay out some grooving heavy stuff across the dozen presented here.

The plodding cut of “Electric,” opens with new vocalist Taylor-Stoakes sounding as much like Gary Newman as a screamer of the highest order. There is even a slight commercial vibe to the chorus. It’s a grabbing opener to be sure. “Falling Apart” rolls round an ascending riff in the chorus with poppy metal bridges. It’s another shot-out-of-the-park of great songwriting and playing from this quartet.

This band can get heavy and hard, as drummer Joe Lazarus leads the growl on “Until The End,” (again Taylor-Stoakes shows his expert vocal control) and Voodoo Six once again throws in a chorus you can sing to. “The Choking,” slows things down in a waver-y guitar ballad lament about impending death. The driving chorus has perfectly placed slicing synth strings.

The band gets all rock bluesy, Tony Newton laying down a swaying bass especially at the beginning of the second-to-last tune, “Wasteland,” while Make Way For The King, ends with the big demonic sounding “Sweet Away.” It features some cool flickering bass moves from Newton at its start,  him laying down a solo low end during the verses, and things once again getting a string/ synth treatment and getting all dramatic at the end. Wailing Matt Pearce really shines here.

Make Way For The King is solid rockin stuff from Voodoo Six.